Sunday, July 28, 2013

The baby swift was being fed at Wildlife Aid Foundation, Surrey
It opened its mouth wide enough to fit its carer's thumb in
Hospital manager Lucy Kells had been feeding the bird using tweezers

By JAYMI MCCANN

Open wide: The swift opens its mouth as it is fed at Wildlife aid in Leatherhead

This baby swift tries to bite off more than it can chew as it attempts to swallow its carer's thumb.
The tiny swiftlet was being cared for at a wildlife rehabilitation centre after it had fallen from its nest at just two weeks old.
Hospital manager Lucy Kells had been feeding the bird using tweezers before she sat it in her hand.

Saved: The tiny swiftlet was being cared for at a wildlife rehabilitation centre after it had fallen from its nest at just two weeks old

And to her surprise the vulnerable chick then opened its mouth wide enough to fit the tip of her thumb in.
The little swift was handed in to the Wildlife Aid Foundation in Leatherhead, Surrey, after it had been found in the nearby village of Claygate.
The young bird was thought to have fallen about 20ft from its nest in the eaves of a house.
Weighing just 14g when the team at Wildlife Aid took it in, the bird was also very thin and incredibly dehydrated.

Carer: Hospital manager Lucy Kells had been feeding the bird using tweezers before she sat it in her hand

Lucy, of Wildlife Aid Foundation, said: 'The swiftlet was in a bad state when it was handed in to us.
'Any young swift that falls to the ground is in danger because the birds can't take off from the floor.
'We had to start off feeding it a diet of liquidised crickets before we could move it on to the juicy waxworms.
'We hope to be able to release the bird in about four weeks when its muscles have been built up and it is ready to fly.

Unusual: The vulnerable chick then opened its mouth wide enough to fit the tip of her thumb in

'Swifts are migratory birds and their annual migration to South Africa usually starts in about eight weeks time so hopefully it'll be ready in time.'
The staff at Wildlife Aid hope the swiftlet will have doubled in weight to about 35g once it is ready for release.
Lucy added that Wildlife Aid is currently taking more swifts into their care than ever before which she puts down to the spell of hot weather.
Swifts are quite unique as a species in that they eat and sleep while flying and only land to have babies and feed them.